• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.39-47
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• 2021

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate age-related mechanical changes in the erector spinae muscles, specifically in terms of tone, elasticity, and stiffness, in the elderly population compared to the younger population Methods : The mechanical properties, including tone, elasticity, and stiffness, of the erector spinae muscles were measured using myotonometry in 47 male adult subjects, divided into the younger group (23 subjects aged 19 to 28 years) and the elderly group (22 subjects aged 69 to 83 years). The measurements were performed in both the prone and sitting positions. The tone, elasticity, and stiffness of the erector spinae muscles were statistically compared between the two groups using a t-test. Results : The study showed increased stiffness and decreased elasticity in the erector spinae muscles in the elderly group compared to the younger group (p<0.01~0.001). The results were similar in both the prone and sitting positions. Conclusion : There are age-related degenerative changes that affect the mechanical properties of the erector spinae muscles. In addition, myotonometry can be suggested to be a useful examination tool in evaluating these changes provided that further studies are conducted and standard methods of application have been established in the future.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 2006

Gemifloxacin is a synthetic fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agent that exhibits potent activity against most Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms, and has a comparatively low chondrotoxic potential in immature animals. This study examined the effects of gemifloxacin on the Achilles tendons in immature Sprague-Dawley rats treated by oral intubation once daily for 5 consecutive days from postnatal week 4 onward at doses of 0 (vehicle), and 600mg/kg body weight Ofloxacin was used for comparison. The Achilles tendon sperimens were examined by electron microscopy. In comparison with the vehicle-treated controls, there were ultrastructural changes in all samples from the gemifloxacin- and ofloxacin-treated rats. Degenerative changes were observed in the tenocytes, and the cells that detached from the extracellular matrix were recognizable. The degree of degenerative changes and the number of degenerated cells in the Achilles tendon were significantly higher in the treated group than in the control group. Moreover, among the quinolone treated groups, these findings were more significant in the ofloxacin treated group, and less significant in the gemifloxacin treated group. It is unclear what these findings mean with respect to the possible risk ill juvenile patients treated with gemifloxacin or other quinolones. However, these results show that gemifloxacin causes fewer changes in the connective tissue structures.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 1997

This study was carried out to investigate the toxicological effects of carbofuran on the histological and fine structures in the kidney, liver, and brain of rat and also to clarify compensatory effects of phenobarbital sodium (PB) and 3-methylcholanthrene(3-MC) on the carbofuran toxicity. SPF albino rats were treated with carbofuran(3.8mg/kg), PB(60mg/kg), 3-MC(60mg/kg), carbofuran+PB, carbofuran+3-MC and subjected to the light microscopic study. In the kidney of rat, hemorrhage and extremely atropic change of renal corpuscles were frequently observed at 48 hrs after carbofuran treatment. Combination treatment groups of carbofuran and PB or 3-MC showed atrophic changes were largely recovered at 6 hrs, and the tissue findings of the kidney became similar to those of control group at 48 hrs after treatment. In the liver of rat treated only carbofuran, the degenerative and necrotic changes of hepatic lobules were frequently observed at 48 hrs after carbofuran treatment. Combination treatment of carbofuran and PB or 3-MC showed the hepatic lobules were similar to those of control groups at 6 hrs after the combination treatment. In the brain of rat treated with carbofuran alone, degenerative changes and dilation of capillary vessel of cerebral cortexes were observed at 48hrs after treatment. Combination treatment of carbofuran and PB or carbofuran and 3-MC showed the cerebral cortexes were similar to those of control groups at 6 hrs after the treatment. These results suggest that PB and 3-MC could regenerate the toxicity of carbofuran to the tissue of kidney, liver and brain of rat.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.71-84
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• 2000

Annual reproductive cycle of the file fish, Thamnaconus modestus (Gunther), was histologically investigated. Samples were collected monthly in the coastal waters of Chungmun, south of Cheju Island, Korea from July 1997 to June 1999. In males and females of T. modestus GSI values reached the maximum in June and May, respectively. Reproductive cycle could be divided into the following successive stages: in females, growing stage (March to April), mature stage (April to May), spawning stage (May to June), degenerative and resting stage (July to February), and in males, growing stage (January to March), mature stage (April to May), spent stage (May to June), degenerative and resting stage (July to December), respectively. To clarify the spawning cycle of female in T. modestus, some were examined, that is, the weekly changes of GSI, detail developmental stages in the ovary and the weekly changes of sex steroid hormones ($E_2$ and T) levels in plasma during the spawning period. Throughout histological observation of the ovary during the spawning period, T. modestus belonged to an asynchronous and multiple spawner. Changes of plasma $E_2$ and T levels were similar to the changes of GSI and ovary maturity.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.125-138
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• 1993

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of cadmium chloride on the spermatogenesis of male mouse. Cadmium chloride was administered as a single dose of 5mg/kg body weight by intraperitoneal injection. The testes were isolated from the experimental animals at 3 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours respectively after administration of cadmium chloride. The major changes in ultrastructures of the seminiferous tubules observed after cadmium chloride administration include dilation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, swelling of mitochondria and vacuolation in cytoplasm of the germ cells. Especially, cadmium chloride caused direct damages to spermatogonia such as degeneration of nuclei, nuclear membrane and plasma membrane. In addition, necrotic changes were observed in most germ cells at 24 hours after cadmium chloride administration. Therefore, it seems clear from these results that cadmium chloride induces acute irreversible degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules of the mouse testis, so that the cadmium chloride ultimately causes necrosis in germ cells at all stages of the spermatogenesis.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.315-328
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• 1996

This study aims to demonstrate the effect of SOD (superoxide dismutase), one of the antioxidant enzymes, on the ultrastructural changes in the parietal cells caused by the administration of cisplatin in the rat. A total of 60 healthy Sprague-Dawley rats weighing about 200 gm were used as experimental animals. Cisplatin (6 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally to rats pretreated with 15,000 unit/kg of SOD or rats without the pretreatment. The experimental animals were sacrificed at 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours and 3 days after the administration of cisplatin. The results were as follows: 1. SOD alone did not affect the ultrastructural changes in the gastric parietal cells in the rat. 2. Irregular shaped mitochondria, mitochondria with dim cristae, dilated cristae, ruptured outer membrane, electron lucent matrix and degenerative mitochondria were seen in cisplatin treated rat. Whorled membranous body, many lysosomes and large vacuole were observed in the gastric parietal cells in cisplatin treated rat. 3. Mitochondria with dilated cristae and electron lucent matrix and irregular shaped mitochondria were observed in the gastric parietal cells of the cisplatin treated rat with pretreatment of SOD. These results suggest that SOD attenuates the toxic effect of the cisplatin in the gastric parietal cells of the rat.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.30-34
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• 2001

The expediency of promoting rabbit production on underutilized by-product feedstuffs prompted the current investigation of caecal fermentation pattern, blood biochemical profile and histopathological changes of vital organs in 48 broiler rabbits fed diets containing 0, 5, 10 and 20% level of neem seed kernal cake (NSKC) for 6 weeks and subsequently sacrificed. The NSKC incorporation in the diet did not exert any adverse effect on caecal fermentation although the weight of caecum and its contents was significantly (p<0.01; p<0.05) lower in rabbits fed the diet containing 20% NSKC. Except for blood glucose concentration, none of the blood biochemical constituents (serum urea nitrogen, creatinine, total protein, haemoglobin) and the activities of different enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, asparatate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase) varied significantly due to NSKC feeding. A histopathological examination of the vital organs (liver, kidney, heart, spleen, lungs, intestine and stomach) revealed a variable degree of villus atrophy in the intestine and degenerative changes in the liver and tubular epithelium of kidney in some rabbits when NSKC was fed at levels above 10%.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 1999

We investigated the effect of a single intravenous dose of Fumonisin $B_1(FB_1$) of rat kidney on the time sequence. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were intravenouslyin jected with FB$_1$at 1.25 mg/kg and were euthanized at 12 hrs, 1, 2, 4, and 6 days after the injection. In $FB_1$ treated rats, serum BUN and creatinine were elevated from 12 hrs. Microscopically, the initial target site was tubules of inner stripe, with mild degenerative and necrotic changes at 12 hrs, but the tubules recovered on day 4. In outer stripe, there were only a few scattered necrotic cells on day 1. These changes became more obvious over the time passed and most severe on day 4. On day 6, regeneration occurred, manifest as hypertrophic, basophilic tubular cells. The dying cells were proved to necrotic cells instead of apoptotic cells by TUNEL. Ultrastructural changes were cytoplasmic vacuole, dilated endoplasmic reticulum, swollen mitochondria, ballooned microvilli of the tubular cell in the outer stripe. These results showed that the renal tubules of outer medulla were the target to $FB_1$-induced nephrotoxicity in the rat. However, initial target was mner stnpe of medulla.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.351-370
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• 1987

This experiment has been done in order to study the correlation between the ultrastructure changes and the atresia phenomenon of the follicles in porcine ovary. The ovaries were assorted according to the presence or absence of corpus luteum. Thereafter, the follicles were classified into normal, pyknotic, necrotic and cystic groups by atretic characteristics on the histological observation, and then their ultrastructures were examined with an electron microscope. The results were as followings. 1. In normal group, granulosa cells represented the ultrastructural characteristics of protein-synthesizing cells. Since the initiation of atresia, the line structure of granulosa cells showed many of the characteristic features of steroid-secreting cells, followed by gradual pyknosis. 2. In necrotic group of the ovary without corpus luteum, the theca interns became hypertrophic and displayed the ultrastructural features of active steroidsecreting cells. But this phenomenon was not seen in the follicles of the ovary with corpus luteum. 3. Degenerative changes of cumulus cells were similar to those of granulosa cells, and the degenerating oocytes showed the degeneration of cellular organelles, cytoplasmic vacuolization and disappearance of microvilli on the surface. The degeneration of granulosa cells tended to procede that of oocytecumulus complex in the follicles of the ovary having no corpus luteum, but this tendency was reversed in the case of presence of corpus luteum. In conclusion, it may be unable to identi(y the initiation of follicular atresia

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.173-189
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of specific head positions on the mandibular rotational torque movements in maximum mouth opening, protrusion and lateral excursion. Thirty dental students without any sign or symptom of temporomandibular disorders(TMDs) were included as a control group and 90 patients with TMDs were selected and examined by routine diagnostic procedure for TMDs including radiographs and were classified into 3 subgroups : disc displacement with reduction, disc displacement without reduction, and degenerative joint disease. Mandibular rotational torque movements were observed in four head postures: upright head posture(NHP), upward head posture(UHP), downward head posture(DHP), and forward head posture(FHP). For UHP, the head was inclined 30 degrees upward: for DHP, the head was inclined 30 degrees downward: for FHP, the head was positioned 4cm forward. These positions were adjusted with the use of cervical range-of-motion instrumentation(CROM, Performance Attainment Inc., St. Paul, U.S.A.). Mandibular rotational torque movements were monitored with the Rotate program of BioPAK system (Bioresearch Inc., WI, U.S.A.). The rotational torque movements in frontal and horizontal plane during mandibular border movement were recorded with two parameters: frontal rotational torque angle and horizontal rotational torque angle. The data obtained was analyzed by the SAS/Stat program. The obtained results were as follows : 1. The control group showed significantly larger mandibular rotational angles in UHP than those in DHP and FHP during maximum mouth opening in both frontal and horizontal planes. Disc displacement with reduction group showed significantly larger mandibular rotational angles in DHP and FHP than those in NHP during lateral excursion to the affected and non-affected sides in both frontal and horizontal planes(p<0.05). 2. Disc displacement without reduction group showed significantly larger mandibular rotational angles in FHP than those in any other head postures during maximum mouth opening as well as lateral excursion to the affected and non-affected sides in both frontal and horizontal planes. Degenerative joint disease group showed significantly larger mandibular rotational angles in FHP than those in any other head postures during maximum mouth opening, protrusion and lateral excursion in both frontal and horizontal planes(p<0.05). 3. In NHP, mandibular rotational angle of the control group was significantly larger than that of any other patient subgroups. Mandibular rotational angle of disc displacement with reduction group was significantly larger than that of disc displacement without reduction group during maximum mouth opening in the frontal plane. Mandibular rotational angle of disc displacement without reduction group was significantly larger than that of disc displacement with reduction group or degenerative joint disease group during maximum mouth opening in the horizontal plane(p<0.05). 4. In NHP, mandibular rotational angles of disc displacement without reduction group were significantly larger than those of the control group or disc displacement with reduction group during lateral excursion to the affected side in both frontal and horizontal planes. Mandibular rotational angle of disc displacement without reduction group was significantly smaller than that of the control group during lateral excursion to the non-affected side in frontal plane. Mandibular rotational angle of disc displacement without reduction group was significantly larger than that of disc displacement with reduction group during lateral excursion to the non-affected side in the horizontal plane(p<0.05). 5. In NHP, mandibular rotational angle of the control group was significantly smaller than that of disc displacement with reduction group or disc displacement without reduction group during protrusion in the frontal plane. Mandibular rotational angle of disc displacement without reduction group was significantly larger than that of the disc displacement with reduction group or degenerative joint disease group during protrusion in the horizontal plane. Mandibular rotational angle of the control group was significantly smaller than that of disc displacement without reduction group or degenerative joint disease group during protrusion in the horizontal plane(p<0.05). 6. In NHP, disc displacement without reduction group and degenerative joint disease group showed significantly larger mandibular rotational angles during lateral excursion to the affected side than during lateral excursion to the non-affected side in both frontal and horizontal planes(p<0.05). The findings indicate that changes in head posture can influence mandibular rotational torque movements. The more advanced state is a progressive stage of TMDs, the more influenced by FHP are mandibular rotational torque movements of the patients with TMDs.